Community Transformation Grant Regional Tobacco Meeting Howard County January 15, 2013 Howard County Health Department
MDQuit CIGAR AWARENESS & PREVENTION
Tobacco Industry Marketing Strategies Among all US manufacturers, the tobacco industry is one of the most intense in marketing its products (CDC, 2000). Major tobacco companies now spend $10.5 billion per year ($29 million every day) to promote their products (CTFK, 2012). Only the automobile industry markets its products more heavily (CDC, 2000).
Youth & Cigar Products Cigar makers have been marketing a variety of products called little cigars and cigarillos (small cigars) that have sweet flavors, cheap prices and colorful packaging. Sweet, cheap and colorful lures kids (CTFK, 2012).
Sweet Flavors Little and small cigars come in a variety of sweet flavors, which may be especially appealing to youth. (Legacy, June 2012)
Cheap Prices Small cigars can be purchased individually, sometimes for less than 70 cents, making them very affordable to youth with limited budgets. In contrast, cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20, which have an average retail price of $5.98 per pack (CTFK, 2012).
Colorful Packaging Many smaller cigars come in bright, attractive packaging similar to candy and gum packages. This tactic makes cigars appear fun and harmless. (CTFK, 2012)
Other Youth-Directed Cigar Marketing Marketing efforts promote cigars as symbols of a luxuriant and successful lifestyle. The following marketing strategies contribute to the increased visibility of cigar smoking in society (CDC, 2000): Endorsements by celebrities Development of cigar-friendly magazines (i.e., Cigar Aficionado) Images of highly visible celebrities smoking cigars Depiction of use in movies
Celebrity Endorsements Vincent Pastore promoting Don Diego Cigars Snoop Dogg s Executive Branch Cigarillos James Gandolfini promoting Sopranos Cigars
Cigar-Friendly Magazines
Images of Highly Visible Celebrities Smoking Cigars
Depiction of Use in Movies & TV
Other Youth-Directed Cigar Marketing: Candy, Toys, & Cartoons! Candy Cigars: Available in Bubble Gum & Chocolate! Mr. Smoke Doll: Kids Love em (1996)
Magazine Ad: Punch Cigars (2007-2009)
Youth & Smokeless Tobacco Tobacco Industry Quote: Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I m saying. (Wall Street Journal, 1994)
Youth & Smokeless Tobacco Smokeless tobacco marketing more than doubled between 2005 to 2008 increasing from $250.8 million to $547.9 million during this period. (CTFK, 2012)
Point-of-Purchase Marketing Aimed at Youth In 2000, 80% of retail outlets had interior tobacco advertising, 60% had exterior advertising, and over 70% had functional items depicting tobacco branding (Wakefield et al., 2000). Such marketing easily reaches youth as two-thirds of youth visit a convenience store at least once per week (Henriksen et al., 2004).
Point-of-Purchase Marketing Aimed at Youth Retailers that teens shop at the most have been shown to contain more point-of-purchase advertising than stores less frequented by teens. (Henriksen et al., 2004) One survey of retail outlets found that nearly 50% of retailers had tobacco ads at young children s eye level (3 ft. or lower), and 23% had tobacco product displays within 6 inches of candy. (Feighery et al., 2001)
Point-of-Purchase Marketing Aimed at Youth: It s Impact One study of middle-school students (6 th -8 th graders) concluded that youth who visited a convenience, liquor or small grocery store at least weekly, and therefore were more exposed to retail tobacco marketing, had a 50% greater odds of ever smoking. This effect on youth tobacco use initiation is similar to that of a tobacco-using parent or household member. (Henriksen et al., 2002)
Reducing Youth Cigar, Smokeless, & Other Tobacco Use National, state, and local program activities that have reduced and prevented youth tobacco use in the past have included combinations of the following (CDC, 2012): Counter-advertising mass-media campaigns (i.e., TV and radio commercials, posters, and other media messages targeted toward youth to counter pro-tobacco marketing) Comprehensive school-based tobacco use prevention policies and programs (i.e., tobacco-free campuses) Community interventions that reduce tobacco advertising, promotions, and commercial availability of tobacco products Higher costs for tobacco products through increased excise taxes
THE CIGAR TRAP
No Matter How They Sugar Coat It...Cigars Kill Youth Cigar Use Media Campaign
Print Media Fruit and Candy Flavors chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, wine Cheap less than $1, even less than $0.70! In the same flavors and prices as an ice cream cone or candy! Attractive, accessible and affordable BUT just as addictive and toxic as cigarettes It s a TRAP!
Transit & Billboards
Web & Facebook
The Toolkit Provides Detailed Overview of the Problem Maryland and National Cigar Use Data Press Releases Samples of Campaign Creative Solutions to the Problem Overview of Action Steps
Fact Sheets
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS MDQuit http://mdquit.org info@mdquit.org CTG Technical Assistance Requests: nickles1@umbc.edu LRC http://www.law.umaryland.edu/tobacco tobacco@law.umaryland.edu CTG Technical Assistance Requests: tobacco@law.umaryland.edu